There are many processes for the preparation of terephthalic acid by the oxidation of p-xylene. Many of the processes are carried out using an acetic acid mother liquor--see, for example, Scott et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,738.
Dimethyl terephthalate is produced by the esterification of terephthalic acid, see U.S. Pat. No. 2,459,014.
Both terephthalic acid and dimethyl terephthalate are useful as monomers in the preparation of polyester fibers.
It is conventional to prepare terephthalic acid in a continuous process in which para-xylene is oxidized to terephthalic acid in an acetic acid based mother liquor. The terephthalic acid is separated from the mother liquor by crystallizing the terephthalic acid and the mother liquor recycled to the oxidizer where it serves as a mother liquor for additional para-xylene to be oxidized. The recycled stream contains other desirable components such as catalyst metals and some terephthalic acid (the amount that is soluble at the crystallization temperature) as well as undesirable components such as other oxidation products including phthalic acid, benzoic acid and isophthalic acid and unknown compounds that lend yellow color to the terephthalic acid. These undesirable components build up in the recycling stream to the extent that the oxidation and separation process becomes inefficient. To control this build up, the recycled stream is purged, for example, by distilling at least a portion of the stream to recover the acetic acid component and to remove the undesirable components. The recovered acetic acid is returned to the oxidizer, and the residue may be burned or otherwise disposed of. It is, of course, desirable to recover as much acetic acid from this purge stream as possible. Simple distillation of the purge stream allows recovery of some of the acetic acid, but a substantial portion remains in the residue.
An object of the present invention is to provide a process for the recovery of increased amounts of acetic acid from the purge stream.